Freedom22 – National Conference 2022

It’s just a week to the Freedom for Faith: Freedom22 Conference in Parramatta:

“Religious Freedom in Australia has reached a crisis point.

The promised protections in the Federal Religious Discrimination Bill have been put on hold, and new State laws have removed several religious freedom rights from faith communities.

These new issues include unprecedented intrusions into prayer, unsympathetic treatment of conscience exemptions, reduced employment rights for religious schools, and a troubling surge in discrimination cases against Jewish, Muslim and other minority faith groups.

Will there be room for authentic expression of faith in Australia’s future?

Register for the Freedom22 National Conference on May 3 at Parramatta’s Park Royal Hotel to hear our distinguished speakers explain the content and consequences of these laws, as well as how we arrived at this cultural moment.

The Freedom22 speakers are:

Book via the Freedom for Faith website.

Three things Christians can do about physician-assisted suicide

“The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 is currently being considered by the NSW Legislative Council. The Bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly on October 14, and five days later was referred to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice for inquiry and report – with the report due by the first sitting day in 2022.

Notwithstanding the fact that this inquiry was still in process, the Legislative Assembly went ahead with its consideration of the Bill last year, and the Bill was passed by that house with some relatively minor amendments on November 26. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Bishop Michael Stead writes that there is a limited window of opportunity for Christians to act.

One thing you can do is to sign this e-petition which closes on Monday 25 April.

Image: Bishop Stead on The Pastor’s Heart.

ePetition: “Please unanimously reject the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021”

In order to oppose and stop the passage of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 through the NSW Legislative Council, an ePetition has now been launched.

The text reads:.

“To the President and Members of the Legislative Council, the petitioners of New South Wales state that that they are completely opposed to the passage of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021, in any form, which provides for state sanctioned/funded assisted suicide/euthanasia.

A cornerstone of our legal system is that ALL human life has inherent value and must be treated with dignity and respect. The petitioners request that the House unanimously oppose the bill, in any form, and reject it.”

The ePetition can be accessed via the Legislative Council’s ePetitions page.

Those signing the ePetition need to declare that they are a resident of New South Wales.

The ePetition closes on 25th April 2022. 

Related:

Kevin Conolly, MP for Riverstone, explains the NSW euthanasia bill – AP.

Kevin Conolly explains the NSW euthanasia bill – part 2.

The religion of self-worship

“Steve Chalke of the Oasis Trust, and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, have with others written this in a letter to the Prime Minister:

To be Trans is to enter a sacred journey of becoming whole: precious, honoured, and loved, by yourself, by others and by God.

In one sentence this brings into the open what a good deal of the LGBT+ movement has become: it is now a sacred quest, an agenda no longer driven science, common sense, or simple compassion; but by a transcendental vision, a desire for mystical fulfilment and a metaphysical belief in unseen realities. This is, more than anything else, a religion.

But it is not Christian religion. …”

– Matthew Roberts at The Critic looks at the worldview behind a recent letter that’s been making news in the UK.

Photo: Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

See also:

‘To Be Trans is to Enter a Sacred Journey of Becoming Whole’: A Former Archbishop of Canterbury and the Liberal Enthusiasm for Transgender Ideology – Albert Mohler’s Briefing for Thursday 14 April 2022. See Part 3:

“This is a public statement made by someone who had held major public responsibility in an historic Christian Church, and he basically here is offering a theology that is directly contrary to scripture and he is doing so believing that the message that he is bringing will lead to human happiness, wholeness, and flourishing.”

and

Why the Christian argument for a ban on transgender conversion therapy fails. – Anglican theologian Martin Davie.

“I very much regret having to disagree with Archbishop Rowan Williams. He is someone whom I deeply respect and from whose writings I have learned an enormous amount. However, as part of my responsibility as a theologian, I feel that I need to say publicly that I disagree with the Christian argument for a ban on transgender conversion therapy put forward by Archbishop Williams and thirteen other Christian writers in their recent open letter to the Prime Minister. What they say in the letter is deeply misleading and they completely fail to make a convincing Christian case for such a ban. …”

How the Person Became a Self

“In 2020, while the world was on lockdown due to COVID-19, Carl Trueman published one of the most important books of the last several decades.

In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Trueman built on the insights of contemporary thinkers such as Philip Rieff and Alasdair MacIntyre to show how modern thinkers … gave expression to a worldview … that made possible and plausible the arguments of the late-modern theorists who shaped the postmodern sexual revolution …

It is a penetrating analysis of recent intellectual history that shows why people are willing to believe ideas today that our grandparents would have rejected out of hand—without need of argument, evidence, or proof—just two generations ago.

The only problem? The book is over 400 pages long. … I knew that many of Carl’s potential readers would not have the time or appetite to wade through so many of his finer, nuanced discussions. So I emailed Carl, praising the book as essential reading. But I also suggested that he consider writing a shorter, more accessible version of the basic argument for non-specialists. Carl has now produced that volume with Strange New World, and it sparkles on every page. …”

– If the length of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self put you off, Strange New World might be just what you need. Ryan T. Anderson writes at First Things.

The book is available widely – here are some booksellers.

Does ‘Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin’ Still Work?

“There is a clear connection between the sexual revolution and the growing antipathy evident in our culture toward freedom of religion.

Perhaps the first time this caught the news headlines was in early 2015 when the Indiana state legislature proposed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was in part designed to protect the rights of business owners with religious objections to LGBTQ+ lifestyles with regard to hiring policies. The proposal met with swift and widespread condemnation …”

– In this article adapted from his new book, Carl Trueman asks a very relevant question.

‘Take a stand’ – says Michael Youssef

“The problems in America all started in the pulpits … when the authority of the Scripture ceased – with it came the confusion that we are facing now.” – Dr Michael Youssef.

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“‘Stand for Christ. Stand for the truth. And let the chips fall where they may.”

Senior Pastor of Atlanta’s Church of the Apostles, Dr Michael Youssef, has a prophetic call to share with evangelical pastors today. It is to not give up trust in the scriptures in the face of contemporary challenges on sexuality.

Dr Youssef tells the story of leading his church to depart the US Episcopal Church when the denomination moved against biblical teaching on sexuality, and the way God has blessed them since.

In light of all this, Dr Youssef quotes 1 Samuel saying, ‘Those who honour me I will honour.’

Speaking in terms of the Sydney Anglican Church, Dr Youssef says, ‘I know this diocese, I love this diocese, and I know that God will continue to bless this Diocese even more… when you take a stand.’

Dr Youseff says, ‘Everyone I know who honoured the Lord and took a stand, God blessed that.’”

– Very encouraging.  Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.

Do watch it all. Dr. Youssef also speaks of his first days in Sydney and those who had a huge influence in his life – including Donald and Marie Robinson, Moore College, and learning Biblical Theology.

How ‘voluntary assisted dying’ would change our culture and values

“The introduction, last year, of Independent MP Alex Greenwich’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill (2021) (the ‘Bill’) is a momentous shift in medical practice and community expectation. It marks the final abandonment of one of the cornerstones of Western civilisation: the sanctity of life. The idea that all human life is inherently precious was not generally affirmed in the world into which Jesus Christ was born. It spread with the growth of early Christianity and finds expression today in the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

Advocates of Voluntary Assisted Dying (a deeply misleading cluster of words) have emphasised not the sanctity of life, but quality of life as subjectively experienced, and the primacy of autonomous choice.  Recently, a man said to me, ‘Archbishop, if you don’t want to choose assisted suicide you don’t have to, but don’t get in the way of those of us who want the right to choose’. I understand the depth of feeling and the logic.

But this way of arguing – ‘if you don’t choose it, it won’t affect you’ – is naïve.…”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

See also:

The Archbishop joined The Hon Damien Tudehope MLC (Leader of the Govt in the Legislative Council Professor), Professor Margaret Sommerville AM FRSC (Bioethicist) and Dr Frank Brennan MBBS, DCH, Dip Obs, FRACP, FAChPM, LLB (Lawyer and Palliative Care Specialist) in a special event at St. John’s Parramatta last night.

Watch the full video – and share with friends.

Likewise, please see and share: ePetition: “Please unanimously reject the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021”.

Australian Anglicans and Sexuality — with David Bennett

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“Australian Anglican Evangelicals are praying that the Australian national Bishops meeting (in March) and the General Synod (8-16 May) will affirm the Bible’s teaching on marriage, sexuality and chastity.

The General Synod  will consider three motions and two propositions affirming the Bible’s teaching on marriage and chastity. …

David Bennett is a former Sydney gay activist, now a Christian, and a member of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s College of Evangelists.”

– Watch or listen here.

Archbishop of Perth Set to Proceed with Ordination that will “Split the Diocese”

“The Archbishop of Perth, Kay Goldsworthy, is set to proceed with an ordination later this week that, according to sources in the diocese, is set to ‘split the diocese’.

On the evening of Thursday 24 February 2022 Archbishop Goldsworthy will preside over the ordination at St George’s Cathedral where four candidates will be made deacon. …”

– David Ould has the story.

Photo: Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy, courtesy Diocese of Perth.

Is the future for the Church of England’s General Synod… Dan Andrews?

“The readiness of the English middle classes to sacrifice democracy on the altar of political correctness was evident at last week’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod.

It was during a debate on the dry subject of the CofE’s governance structures that the growing anti-democratic spirit on this largely democratically elected body asserted itself. …”

– At Anglican Ink, Julian Mann looks at some disturbing moves in the Church of England’s General Synod.

Ways forward on same sex marriage — Church Society

Church Society’s Director Lee Gatiss looks at the various possibilities open to the Church of England as it debates same-sex marriage.

A clear look at the options, and a restatement of what needs to be done.

Dual Citizens podcast

David Ould has recently started a podcast which many will find of interest –

Dual Citizens is “a podcast analysing current affairs, informed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Covering various topics weekly, Dual Citizens explains how Christianity holds an important sense of relevancy in contemporary society, and how all Christians are ‘dual citizens’ belonging to two places; their country, and Jesus’ heavenly kingdom.”

Check it out here.

Religious Discrimination Bill stalled by hasty amendments — Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Media Statement

Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney

Media Statement

Religious Discrimination Bill stalled by hasty amendments

We are deeply disappointed that the passage of the Religious Discrimination Bill has been stalled. People of faith have been waiting for this since 2018, and there seems to be broad agreement on both sides of the House that legal protection against discrimination on the basis of religious belief is necessary and long overdue.

It is regrettable that the passage of the Religious Discrimination Bill – which is about Religious Discrimination, and Religious Discrimination only – is being held hostage to rushed changes to the Sex Discrimination Act relating to students.

There have been claims that religious schools are harming trans and gay students and further claims that they want the legal right to do so. This is the opposite of what happens.  Religious schools provide exceptional pastoral care to all students (which is one of the reasons why parents choose to send their children to these schools).

Many MPs seem to have given scant regard to how to protect those of religious faith and the positive contribution of individuals, churches and religious organisations to the community. Instead, the central intent of the bill has been overshadowed and derailed by the discussion of the exemptions section of s38(3) of the Sex Discrimination Act.

As we have seen from hasty amendments made in the middle of last night, this issue is complex, which is why it was referred to the Australian Law Reform Commission to address. Nevertheless, if the removal of s.38(3) is the only means by which the Bill can progress, we call on the government and opposition to work together to resolve the technical issues and bring this matter to a resolution before the next Federal election.

People of religious faith in Australia, of all beliefs and backgrounds, deserve the equal protection that such a bill was intended to give. The benevolent religious organisations they have established and maintain also need the stability that well-considered legislation would provide. There is goodwill on our part to proceed and we call for a bipartisan approach that would progress this very important Bill.

Bishop Michael Stead, Chair, Religious Freedom Reference Group and Bishop of South Sydney 

February 10, 2022.

Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Government “shelves religious freedom bill indefinitely”

From ABC News, 1:22pm:

“The government has indefinitely shelved its bid to overhaul religious freedom laws, leaving one of the Coalition’s central 2019 election commitments hanging in uncertainty.

After a marathon sitting of the House of Representatives, where laws passed early on Thursday, the government failed to bring the matter on for debate in the Senate.

Coalition sources have confirmed the government is all but guaranteed not to bring it back for debate when the Senate next sits in March.

That is because the government does not want further debate about religious freedoms to hijack its plans to sell a pre-election budget.”

– Source.

Update: The Australian Christian Lobby’s Martyn Iles gave his take on the events of the day in this video.

← Previous Page — Next Page →